Patent application title: Pond skuzz collector

Abstract:

A buoyant device for use by one or two persons to skim from the surface of
bodies of water the vegetative matter that accumulates thereon so as to
facilitate its disposal. The device consists of a cylindrical screen
formed to the configuration of the letter C with the top lip being held
at the water's surface by a buoyant bar and the lower lip being
positioned below the upper lip by a weighted bar; a harness attached to
the buoyant bar is used to pull the device across the water's surface.

Claims:

1. A floating device intended to be pulled by one person on the surface of
a pond or lake to collect and remove floating plants and algae
comprising:a rectangular strip of screen material having an upper edge
and a lower edge;a rigid flotation bar attached to the upper edge of the
screen material for the purpose of providing buoyancy;a rigid opening
control bar attached to the lower edge of the screen material for the
purpose of applying a downward force thereto so as to cause the screen to
be oriented in the water with the lower edge below the buoyant upper
edge;opening control regulators attaching the ends of the flotation bar
and the opening control bar so as to define the vertical spacing between
the flotation bar and the opening control bar; this vertical spacing
being less than the length of screen between the flotation and opening
control bars, causing the screen to be cylindrical with one open side;
anda pull rope attached to the flotation bar for the purpose of pulling
the floating device along the surface of a water body.

Description:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002]Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003]1. Field of the invention

[0004]This invention is in the field of the collecting and removal of
debris from the surface of ponds.

[0007]On the surface of bodies of water there often accumulates debris
including filamentous algae and various floating aquatic plants. This
invention is a device to be used by one or two persons for the removal of
this surface debris on small bodies of water, shallow water, or where the
use of heavy equipment is not justified.

[0008]Search of prior art identifies many devices intended to remove the
debris on the surface of swimming pools or large bodies of water; there
appears to have been no effort to find an effective way in which to
remove the floating debris from the surface of ponds and shallow bodies
of water. The referenced prior art is as close to addressing this
problem, al-be-it in different situations, as I can find. The closest of
all the patents found is the Harding Patent #4,518,495. Harding disclosed
a means of skimming the surface debris from swimming pools with netting
held open by a rectangular frame supported by pontoon shaped floats; in
some respects it is quite similar but certainly not intended nor capable
of the accumulation of the relatively large amounts of debris often
encountered in ponds. Other solutions proffered for pools include
circulation pumps with screens, and screens of the general shape of a
tennis racquet or fish net with long handles--again not applicable to the
gross debris accumulations found on ponds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009]This invention defines a means of catching and removing floating
materials from ponds or similar water bodies--a device that can be used
by one person. It is essentially a rectangular shaped screen with one
edge attached to a floating bar and the opposite edge attached to a
heavier than water bar. There are lines attaching the ends of the bars to
provide for proper spacing of the bars and consequently the configuration
of the opening into the screen. There is a harness attached to the
floating bar and a rope attached to the harness to provide for pulling
the device thru the water. The screen forms an open ended
semi-cylindrical basket as the device is drawn through the water holding
any debris that enters between the floating bar and the heavier than
water bar. The device can be thrown from shore and retrieved by the
person on shore, it can be dragged behind a row boat, or it can be
attached to the prow of a power boat and pushed thru the water. When a
desired amount of material has been accumulated, the device is brought to
shore and emptied.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0010]FIG. 1 is an isometric projection showing the design of the debris
remover.

[0011]FIG. 2 shows the debris remover being drawn across the surface of a
pond.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012]The width of the device is limited by the weight and drag of the
trapped debris--four to six feet is a reasonable width for most
applications.

[0013]There are six components of this invention:--(1) a pull rope, (2) a
harness, (3) a flotation bar, (4) an accumulation screen, (5) an opening
control bar, (6) a pair of opening control regulators.

[0014]The pull rope 1 is 1/4 to 3/8 inch diameter and whatever length is
required for the particular application.

[0015]The harness 2 is a light rope that attaches the flotation bar in two
or more locations to a central spot where the pull rope is attached.

[0016]The flotation bar 3 consists of a length of aluminum tubing of
diameter 3/4 inch; wholly or partially encompassed with expanded plastic
tubing. The limitation on the minimum diameter of the buoyancy device is
that it must maintain the assembly sufficiently high in the water so that
the debris will not wrap around the flotation bar but will pass under the
flotation bar into the accumulation screen. A diameter of 3 to 6 inches
is appropriate for most applications.

[0017]The accumulation screen 4 is window screening of length 3 or more
feet and width equal to the length of the flotation bar. Across the
length of the screen on the edges there are tubes integral with the
screen into which the flotation and opening control bars are inserted.

[0018]The opening control bar 5 is a metal bar of diameter 1/2 inch and of
length equal to the length of the flotation bar.

[0019]Opening control regulators 6 attaching the ends of the flotation bar
and the opening control bar.

[0020]There are four principle ways in which the device can be used:
[0021]A. In the case of a small body of water, the device is placed in
the water on one shore, the pull rope is taken to the other side, the
device is pulled across the pond and emptied. This is repeated until the
pond is cleared. A variation of this use is the attachment of two ropes
to the harness, one rope to each shore, and the device is pulled back and
forth by a person on each shore. [0022]B. The device is tossed out into
the pond and retrieved using the pull rope. [0023]C. A pole is attached
to the pull rope and the device is pulled through the water. [0024]D. The
device is pulled by a person walking in the water, pulled behind a small
boat or pushed ahead of a power boat.